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  2017-1-TR01-KA219-046009_1
“EVERY
STUDENT IS SPECIAL”
PARTICIPANTS
c3
ROMANIA -
PETROŞANI
01.10.2019
Documentation visit to the
Medieval
Fortress of Deva
The first evidence of the medieval Deva Fortress
dates back to the second half of the 13th century; in 1269, Stephen V, King of
Hungary and Duke of Transylvania, mentioned "the royal castle of Deva" in a
privilege-grant for the Count Chyl of Kelling.
The first records regarding a military operation involving the fortress dates
from 1273. Under its walls, the Cumans were defeated by Peter I Csák, Palatine
of Hungary (Latin: Magister Pertrus de genere Chak), who was rewarded for his
victory by Ladislaus IV, King of Hungary. In his letter, Ladislaus IV mentioned
the facts with the words: sub castro Dewa contra Cumanorum exercitur viriliter
dimicavit.
At the end of the 13th century, the Deva Fortress was in the property of
Ladislaus Kán, Voivode of Transylvania, who organized a court besides the
military garrison.
The Fortress of Deva is central to the Hungarian folk tale The Wife of Clement,
the Mason.
The Deva citadel was built at the half of the
13th century on the Cetatii hill, a volcanic neck with a height of 378 meters,
on fortifications dating from ancient times.
Being an important object in the defense of Transylvania, the Deva fortress
rises over the city bearing the same name. Legends surrounding this
construction, made foreigners curious over time. Initially home to hospodars of
Transylvania, the bastion is made into garrison during the 17th century. Later
on, in 1849 the citadel meets the end of its glory days when the gun powder
storehouse explodes.
Recently restored, the fortress allows its visitors to enjoy the beautiful
panoramas over the city, but over the Mures Valley as well, whilst telling its
story within the bastion’s rooms, on the paved alleys and in the interior court.
One of the colorful legends say that this fortress is connected to two other
fortresses, Uroi and Colt citadel, through a bridge, fortresses all built by
fairies with gold hair. Another legend tells us that the tunnels underneath the
citadel lead to another castle, the Corvinilor castle, from Hunedoara, also in
the Transylvanian region - highly known for the castles & fortresses tours.
If you feel like making your time worthwhile during your trip here, you can
always choose to cover the journey by feet. You can of course choose the
alternative, and climb to the tower with the cable car, which is the only angled
lift in Romania.
When you get up the hill, you still need to navigate a few more steps to enter
the citadel’s ruins and view Francis David’s memorial, whose statement inspired
many and still does today: “We need not think alike to love alike”.
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